Globe, Mineski form professional e-sports team; will compete in SEA Games

Globe Telecom, in partnership with gaming café operator Mineski, has form a professional e-sports team called “Liyab,” which will be debuting with teams from world-renowned e-sports titles, League of Legends and Hearthstone; as well as the 30th Southeast Asian Games new medal game, Arena of Valor.

Photo shows Team Liyab with Globe president and CEO Ernest Cu, Mineski CEO and president Ronald Robins, and Globe vice president for content partnerships Jil Go

Globe president and CEO
Ernest Cu said the creation of a professional e-sports team is part of the
company’s vision through the Globe Games and E-sports Program to accelerate the
development of e-sports in Philippines.

“Liyab will be the symbol of the country’s burning passion and pride in global e-sports events,” Cu said. “Liyab, which translates to ‘Blaze,’ represents the team’s intense passion and focus in the realm of e-sports.”

Mineski CEO and President
Ronald Robins believes that e-sports is now at a stage whereby new roles are
being filled in to assure the constant growth and progress of the athletes.

Liyab will establish a professional sports team management system by introducing sports science, mental and physical programs, as well as proper training facilities – moving away from playing houses.

“With the proper management
system, we strongly believe we can overcome the hurdles and set an example for
many to follow suit as well so to make each country competitive with each game
and also to promote a stronger region overall,” said Robins.

Since its launch in April 2018,
the Globe Games and E-sports Program is at the forefront of the Philippine e-sports
landscape by organizing and hosting international e-sports tournaments such as
the Globe Philippine Pro Gaming League, Globe Conquerors Manila, and Valor Cup.

“With the birth of Liyab E-sports Team, we will be disrupting e-sports and games much like how we changed the digital lifestyle and entertainment in the Philippines,” Globe SVP for content business Nikko Acosta said. “The Philippines will finally have a systematic and professionalized program for e-sports.”

This is in line with the
major development last quarter when it was announced by the Philippine SEA
Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) that E-sports will be officially included
in the calendar of games for the upcoming 30th Southeast Asian Games, which
will be held in the Philippines from November 30 to December 11, 2019.

Cu also said that Liyab will play a major role on how Globe would redefine the gaming and e-sports habits of Filipinos by expanding its #PlayItRight advocacy into gaming responsibility.

“We are now positioning
gaming and e-sports like a real sport for Filipino gamers to follow. By focusing on the total development of the e-sports
athlete such as physical wellness, nutrition, discipline and cognitive development,
this provides gamers an avenue to progress to a professional level.” Cu said.

Robins said that Mineski will
help shape the local gaming industry by creating professional standards for e-sports
athlete development, influence attitudes, personalities and aspirations of the
next generation of gamers.

Accomplishments of the Liyab team members include representing Southeast Asia together with the Malaysian and Thai teams in the 2018 League of Legends Rift Rivals against Japan and Oceania regions. They also represented the Philippines in the Globe Conquerors Manila, the most prestigious League of Legends e-sports event in Southeast Asia for 2018.

Liyab Arena of Valor division, on the other hand, has been a constant in all Arena of Valor Valor Cup regional tournaments in 2018 eventually taking home the championship title in the Globe Philippine Pro Gaming League (PPGL) Season 3 – Arena of Valor.

Finally, Liyab Hearthstone division player Cara Cute has been a constant contender in the Hearthstone e-sports scene and ended 2018 strong with a top 4 placement in the World Electronic Sports Games (WESG) SEA.

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